'71 Boss 351
The amazing thing about the '71 Boss 351 road tests is the middle-block-powered fastback ran as quick as the earlier 428 Cobra Jet Mustangs. Of course, with news already out about the upcoming compression drop for all cars in 1972, the Boss 351's impressive performance was overshadowed by doom and gloom.
It appears the three magazines from Petersen Publishing--Hot Rod, Car Craft, and Sports Car Graphic--were supplied with the same Boss 351 press demonstrator, because the car had been equipped with headers, traction devices, and other tweaks by Bill Stroppe. Sports Car Graphic, which admitted, "We don't push our cars to the precipice for record e.t.'s," reported a 14.7 e.t., while Car Craft thrashed the car to a 13.74. Although we couldn't locate a published Hot Rod test of the Boss 351, Sports Car Graphic reported that its sister magazine "maybe even speed-shifted" the same Boss to a 13.9 quarter-mile.
'71 Boss 351* - 13.74/104.28 - 4-spd. - 3.91 - Car Craft, March 1971
'71 Boss 351 - 13.80/104 - 4-spd - 3.91 - Hot Car, May 1971
'71 Boss 351* - 13.9/104 - 4-spd. - 3.91 - Hot Rod, N/A
'71 Boss 351 - 13.93/100.55 - 4-spd. - 3.91 - Super Stock, March 1971
'71 Boss 351* - 14.7/96.2 - 4-spd. - 3.91 - Sports Car Graphic, March 1971
*Headers